Albanian brake cable slasher is out and about

An Albanian man who turned a woman’s car into a death trap by cutting the brake cable will receive psychiatric treatment in the community, a court heard.

Paul Sterkaj, 61, clambered under Chinwe Mbah-Uzobude’s Honda in Dagenham, Essex, and slashed her brake lines with a pair of cutters.

Sterkaj had been involved in a dispute with Mrs Mbah-Uzobude over payment for repair work he had done at her home.

He was convicted of assaulting her and was handed a suspended jail sentence last year.

Sterkaj made his way to Ms Mbah-Uzobude’s home in Wythenshawe Road, Dagenham, where her car was parked outside, and snipped the cable, on 11 July last year.

He was caught with the cutters and the victim was told not to attempt to drive it, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.

Dr Richard Duffet said Sterkaj had a history of paranoid delusions and psychotic episodes.

Judge Sheelagh Canavan said in the circumstances a hospital order, which requires supervision in the community, was the appropriate sentence.

Judge Canavan said: ‘I have to sentence you in respect of your actions regarding Mrs Mbah-Uzobude.

‘The reasons I accept are found in the mental illness you undoubtedly suffer from.

‘You took against Mrs Mbah-Uzobude in the early part of 2016 having assaulted her and receiving a suspended sentence.

‘On 11 July last year you went to her home and you intentionally damaged the brakes and brake lines of her vehicle.

‘The risk from your actions was clear.

‘If she had got into the vehicle and driven off without realising that she had no working brakes, she might well have been killed along with anyone else with her in the vehicle or any other road user she came into contact with.

‘By your plea you accept you intended to endanger her life by what you did.

‘I have read a number of psychiatric reports on you and I accept you have had a long involvement with a community mental health team.

‘In the past your cooperation has not been good.

‘I accept that you were affected by your mental illness at the time of these offences.

‘I’m troubled by your offending. For someone who had previously never been involved in the criminal justice system, you escalated from assaulting Mrs Mbah-Uzobude to cutting her brakes to endanger her life in a relatively short period of time.

‘I’m just persuaded that I have no need to impose a restriction order.’

Sterkaj, who was aided in court by an Albanian interpreter, maintained he could not remember cutting the victim’s brakes, initially refusing to enter a plea.

When the charges were put to him he said: ‘Because Jesus says you are guilty I have been guilty since I was born.

‘I don’t remember doing anything. I have never killed anyone, maybe I have done it.

‘If you say yes, then I say yes.’

Sterkaj, of [19] St Ives Close, Romford, was sentenced to a hospital order under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act for one count of damaging with intent to endanger life, and having an article with intent to damage property.
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